Memorandum device



April 18, 1951 s. M. RADZYNER 2,980,444

MEMORANDUM DEVICE Filed Jan. 23, 1958 Samuel M. Radzyfier' MEMORANDUMDEVICE Samuel M. Radzyner, 549 W. Washington St., Chicago 6, Ill.

Filed Jan. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 710,654

1 'Claim. (Cl. 281-11) The present nvention relates to improvements inmemorandum devices or holders of the kind disclosed in my Patent2,223,225 dated November 26, 1940, providing for the selectiveintermittent feeding of memorandum paper from a roll onto and over awriting desk or table.

An important object of the present nvention is to im: prove theoperating characteristics of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved feed mechanismin memorandum devices of the kind contemplated.

'A further object of the invention is to provide an improved combinationfeed roller and writing desk or table structure for memorandum devicesof this kind.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a substantiallyimproved combination cover and writing table or desk structure for thiskind of memorandum devices.

It is also an object of the invention to effect economies in structureand improvements in function of various related elements in thecombination of memorandum devices of the self-contained unit typecontemplated herein.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following -detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof taken Vin conjunction With the accompanying drawing,in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a memorandum device embodying featuresof the invention;

Figure 2 is a slightly enlarged longitudinal Vertical sectional viewthrough the device taken substantially on the line II-II of Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevational detail view takensubstantially on the line III-III of Figure 2;

and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view looking down at thelower left-hand portion of the device to bring out certain details ofstructure.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, a compact,portable desk type of unit is provided which is self-contained withrespect to a generally upwardly opening housing shell 5 reaclily adaptedto be made from stamped sheet metal including a bottom wall 7 carryingsuitable preferably rubber legs 8, a pair of upstanding identical,coextensive side walls 9 and an upstandng rear Wall 10. Economically,all of the walls of the housing or casing shell are formed integrallyfrom one piece of Sheet material, with the rear wall 10 securedpermanently to the rear margins of the side Walls 9 and thereby holdingthe rear portions of the side Walls against spreading apart orcollapsing toward one another.

Between the rear portions of the side walls 9, forwardly from the rearWall 19, the side walls 9 support a removable shaft 11 `upon which isrotatably supported a roll 12 2 end, the cover-desk member 14 comprisesa plate dimensioned to lie in supported, container closing supportedrelation upon the upper edges of the side walls 9 which, to provide aconvenient writing angle for the member 14 slope at an oblique angle tothe horizontal from a maximum rear portion height to a minimum front endheight in a plane convergent to the plane of the bottom wall 7.Throughout their sloping extent, the top edges of the side walls 9 arestraight and in their respective uppermost rear portious the top edgesare preferably rounded as shown at 15 more or less on a radius from theaxis of the paperroll supporting shaft 11. It will be observed that thecoverdesk plate 14 conforms in its major extent straight with thestraight sloping edges of the side walls 9 and has a curved rear portion17 complementary to and engageable in closing relation with the rearupper rounded edge portions 15 of the container housing side walls.

substantial reinforcement for the cover-desk member 14 is provided bysimilar down turned longitudinal side marginal flanges 18 extendingthroughout the length of the member and spaced apart at least equal tothe distance between the outside faces of the upper margins of thehousing side walls 9. In at least the portions of the fianges 18 carriedby the curved rear portion 17 of the cover-desk member a frictionalsliding fit with the margins of the housing side Walls adjoining therounded edge portions 15 is atforded for at lleast lightly frictionallyholding the cover in closed relation to the housing 5.

At their front end portions, the side flanges 18 are proi vided withrespective journal portions 19 by which the cover-desk member 14 ispivotally connected as by means of journal bearing rivet members 20 tothe respective for- Ward minor height extremity portions of the housingside walls 9, as best seen in Figures l and 2. Thereby, the cover-deskmember 14 is adapted to be swung between open and closed positionsrelative to the housing member 5 for access into the container Chamberfor replacement of the paper roll 12.

For receiving and guiding the writing paper strip 13, the cover-deskmember 14 is provided on its forward hinged extremity with a curvedunderturned guide flange 21 about which the web of the paper strip 13 isadapted to be trained slidably as reeled preferably from the top of thepaper roll 12 in a reverse bend onto the top of the cover-desk 14. Byhaving the radius of curvature of the guide lip flange 21 substantiallysmaller than the radius of curvature of the paper roll 12, at leastuntil the paper strip reaches the minimum core radius, and training thepaper strip over the guide flange lip 21 in reverse curvature, asubstantial straightening effect is had upon the paper strip.

For guiding the Web of the writing paper strip 13 rearwardly over thetop of the cover-desk 14, and holding the strip down thereon, thecover-desk member is provided with a sunken or depressed writing tableor desk area 22 -atfording a flat writing surface in the straightsloping portion of the member and define at the longitudinal sidemargins by longitudinal parallel insetting fiange guide Shoulders 23between which the paper web strip 13 is maintained against anysubstantial lateral deviation in its plane from the depressed writingtable area 22. As best seen in Figures 2 and 4, the upper rearwardlydirected portion of the guide lip flange is located in a plane with thewriting table area 22 and the guide shoulders 23 lead rearwardly fromsuch upper extremity of the guide lip flange 21.

For hold-down purposes, a transverse integral holddown Strap-like narrowportion 24 is provided between the forward end of the writing tableportion or area 22 and the upper side of the reverse bend guide lipfiange 21, with the front and rear margins of the hold-down strap 24disposed in substantially the normal, undepressed planie of'thec'ov'er-de'sk plate '14. This provides a forwardly opening slotthrough 'which the 'paper strip is' threaded under the hold-down strip24 to emerge through V a rearwardly opening slot 27 onto the table area22. I

For `Vr'einfo'rcen'r'ent a'nd toV hold theu'pa'perf'tr'ip :downreasonably, close to 'the js'upportin'g' 's'ur'face "'of 'theA table a Varc'arZ, the Vhold-down strip 24 i's provided within its margins with adebossed pad area 'affording 'at ju'nture with the marginal areas Vofvthe 'strip 24, reinorcing f bends 29. w

strip 24, is provided. Along it'siforwardfedggfthe hold-VV V'down strip30provides an entry-slot 3,1Vth'ron'g'hli'1h'ich the paperv strip 13 isthreade'd to emer'g'e 'through' area'r'exit 'slot 32 along the-real'edgejo'f :the''str'ipilf;M ;Within its margins, the hold-down strip 30islprfovided with 'a depressed hold-down 'area 33 affording'at juneture'withv the margins of the hold-downstri'p rtfrc'iirifdrciug 'riblikebends 34.' VItwill be observe `c l.'in Figure's fl that Vrearwrardlybeyond the exit :slot32,'tlre'cver-desk 14 is Vdepressed to provide aV'ramp 35 leading 'to and merging with the rounded 'rear 'portion v'7 ofthe `c'o'verdesk member which Vis provided in its crown portion with aVVcentral vgenerally longitudin'ally extending reinforcing emb'ossment 37.

condition assembled upon the shaft 39 by relativeaxial '-asscmbly `ofthe shaft through respective central 'shaft bores l43 in the respectiverollers dimensioned for tensioned gripping Vfit about the shaft, Vthatis the shaft receiving bores 43 of the respective rollers are slightlyundersized in diameter with respect to the outside diameter of theshaft.

Not only indexing for location of 'the respective vrollers `42, but also'corotational 'interlocking is accomplished by having theVroller-carrying portions of the shaft 39 provided. atrespectiverlongitudinally spaced predetermined locations therealon'gwith' longitudinally elongated closely circumferentially V'spacedinterlock teeth '44 in the form of serration-like flutes or knurlsVwhich project beyond the normal' diameter-of rthe'rshaft and areinterlockingly gripped by yielding ofthe material within tne respectiveroller bores 43 and tensioned displacement of material into the valleysbetween'theV interlock teeth.

'it will be appreciated that the Vstructure of the cover'- i' 7 deskimember 314 asV described 'affor'ds a one-piece construction which isspubstantially 'rigid 'and thus 'quite durable and resistant to bendingdeformations'. Especially 'satisfactory 'is the depressed writing tablearea 22 which f Vafords a writing base that is ade'quately 'stifi to'reist writing pressures thereagainst, being thorou'ghly rein- 'forced`along its longitudinalvmargins by :the rih-like'juncture with thereinforcing side :flang'e's 18 as 'aforded by the insetting shoulderbends '23, sr'o that 'there ar'e 'actually provided longitudinally alongthe sid'e'sfof therwriting table 'area 22 reinforcing ribs 38V. I

Paper 'strip feed means Vare 'carried by the'cover-desk member 14.Totthis end, a rotary shaft 39 is jour- A11 effective 'corotational'interlock of the `rollers 42 on the Vshaft 39 is thus attained 'withoutneed for any adhesive or other bindin'g or ibonding medium. Stretchi'ngof the elastic material of the rollers 42 enables forc'eable relativeaxial assembly of the rollers 42 onto the shaft '39.. i. f f i pTurningof the shaftV 39 is accomplished through the medium oflrespective knobs `45V Vattached'to the respective opposite ends of theshaft, such ends projecting laterally beyond the'journal ears 41. i Inthepresent instance, the knobs 45 are shown as made of a Syntheticplastic material and provided withfrespective 'shaft sockets147 providedwith Vlongitudinal interlock knurls`47 -`engageable with positive pressfit 'corotational interlock V'en'gagement with omplernentaryrrkn'urls 48on the shaft ends.

VIn order to 'clear the outer end portions of 'the shaft 39, theVhousin'g side walls 9 are provided with upwardly opening clearan'cenotches V49. i I fl i .i

In Vthe use of the memorandum device of the present invention, the,cover-desk member 14 is swung open and the roll 'of paper 12 isinserted into the containerjchamher., The free end ofthe paper strip A13'is then threaded i under 'the flange lip 21 andthe cover-desk member14 nalled through respective ;aligned bearing Vh'o'le's '40 in Q.

depending respective `enlarge'ments 41 ofth'ose porti'ons Vof therespective side flang'es 18 aligned 'with the' rear 'hold-down stripfi.Carriedby the :shaft 39. are-'soft rubber feed roller's 42. These4rolle'r's 'are majd'e from Vnatural 'or 'Synthetic rubber 'of 'asoft'durometer a'nd 'the .i

best seen 'in vfiigure 3, '-the're 'are three'of 'the'irol'l'ers '42,'each only a small fraction 'as 'wide as'thepap'er'st'rip' 13,

' andthis arrangernerit of three *roll'er's 'has been vfound *to beespecially suitable for the `present ,purposerl Two' 'of the rollers '42are located' for 'feed 'e'nga'ge'mejn't 'with respective' oppositemarginal portions of thef'paper""stri'p '13 and the 'third of therolle'rs A2 'i's located to eng'age the longitudinal center portion o'fthe paper strip.. The

-greater than'the spacing between the axis of the 'shaft 39 and theVunderside-o'f the depressed area 33 'of theV of the paperstrip 13except 'as impelled by turning of v'the rollers 42 with the shaft 3-9.,It has been found that with 'this arrangement of the feed rollers 42,even though the paper strip 13 may Vbe initially fed linto the nipV 'oftherolllers somewhat askew,in 'a few turns of 'the rollers 42 feedingthe web rearwardly, `straightening of the strip in its 'longitudinalfeed path occurs.

Quit'e positive corotation of the rollers 42 with the 'jshaft 39 is'attain'ed by having the 'rollers in a pieformed material is possessedof a vhigh 'c'o'eflicientof friction. A's

[closed down. After the free end of the'paper strip 13 ha's beenthreaded under the'hold-down stripV 24 and over the writing table 'area22, it is vinserted into the.

'entry slot 31 under the hold-down strip 30 into the 'nip 'of therollers 42 which, 'on being 'turned by manipula- -tion of the shaft'39through either of the knobs '45, advance 'the paper strip and projectthe-free end thereof 'through 'the exit slot 32. After the portion ofthe paper strip 13 exposed upon the Writing table area 22 has ,beenVused, the strip is advanced to'project th'erpused length of the paperstrip beyond the rear edge 'of the holddown strip 30 which 'rear edge'serves as'a tear-olf guide against which the proje'cting portion of theVpaper strip "radius' of the rollers is predetermined to be 'slightly'is'tearingly pulled'manually for severing it from the strip web. i

- It will be understood 'that modific'ations and variations may beeffected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of thelpresent invention. i i

I claim as my invention: v In a memorandum device including 'aghousingshell provided with upstanding parallel side walls having the 'upperedges thereof slo'pin'gV from a maximum ,re'ar por- 'tion height to aminimum 'forward porti'on height'and defining between the-maximumportion height anV upwardly opening 'chamber space foraccommodating aroll of writing paper in strip form, a onepiece 'combination cover anddesk member hingedly connected in a7 forward portion thereof tothepforwardV en'd'sV of saidrside walls and constructed and 'arrangedto. lie Vi'n closingrelation to said chamber upon said side w'all vupperedges and being ,"swingable into open position fo'r access to Vsaidroll, 'said cover-'desk member having 'on 'the forward e'nd there- I ofan underturned 'rounded paper 'straightening lip 'fiange `'over whichthe 'paper s'tripfis t'ra'i'ned onto, the upper side of the cover-deskmember and the cover-desk member rearwardly from said lip flange beingprovided with a depressed fiat writing table area defined along itslongitudinal sides by longitudinal guide shoulders, said writing tableareahaving adjacent to said lip flange a hold-down strip severedtherefrom and at a higher elevation than the plane of the table area,said table area having adjacent to the rear end thereof a secondhold-down strip severed therefrom and at a higher elevation andextending integrally between said shoulders, both of said hold-downstrips providing respective entry and exit slots through which the paperstrip is threaded onto and over said writing table area, each of saidhold-down strips having within the margins thereof depressed smoothholddown area portions engageable With the upper side of the paper stripto hold it against the writing table area, each of said hold-down stripshaving front and rear margins disposed in substantially the normalundepressed plane of the cover-desk member and above respectively theassociated entry and exit slots, and feed roller means mounted under thesecond of said hold-down strips and comprising a rotary shaft, havingthereon a plurality of soft reslient rollers of high coeflicient offriction pressing in paper feed relation toward the undersde of thedepressed hold-down area of said second hold-down strip for feedinglyadvancing the paper strip across said writing table area by withdrawngthe strip from the roll in said Chamber space and over :said lip flangeand under said hold-down strip adjacent the lip fiange and thence overthe writing table area and under said second holddown strip to beejected through the rear slot defined by said second hold-down strip,said shaft having knurling thereon engaging inner peripheries on saidrollers and thereby holding the rollers corotative With the shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS727,369 Hoyle May 5, 1903 768,980 Dorr Aug. 30, 1904 1,365,082 Bliss etal. Jan. 11, 1921 1,538,79'5 Gensmer May 19, 1925 1,699,708 Neth Jan.22, 1929 1,958,417 Caesar et al. May 15, 1934 2,223,225 Radzyner Nov.26, 1940 2,428,388 Shaw Oct. 7, 1947 2,502,590 Radzyner Apr. 4, 19502,782,559 Strauss Feb. 26, 1957

